Eastern freshman golfer Francisco Cherizola has come a long way to be a member of the Panthers’ men’s golf team.

Cherizola is from Queretaro, Mexico – 1,577 miles from Charleston – and he is the only international player on the men’s golf team.

Eastern head golf coach Mike Moncel said he learned about Cherizola when he received a letter about Cherizola last season. Cherizola entered a Mexican college prospect program, which gets the nations best recruits names out to different universities.

“I got a letter, and I just followed his scores from there,” Moncel said. “He had a really good summer, and he played on the Mexican Junior team. He had a very good resumé, and he was a good player.”

Moncel said several schools were interested in landing Cherizola, and he said he was thrilled when Cherizola decided to play golf at Eastern.

Cherizola said he started to talk to Moncel last summer and that increased his comfort level with Moncel. He admitted he did not want to come to Eastern at first, but his father and coach helped convince him.

“My dad convinced me to come here,” Cherizola said. “I didn’t want to come because of cold weather. (Moncel) approached me, and I felt comfortable here so I agreed.”

Cherizola said athletics were not the only factor in his choice of what school he would attend.

“I chose Eastern because they had a good economics program,” Cherizola said. “I got good grades in high school and it was important for me to go to a good school.”

The biggest difference, Cherizola said, about playing golf at Eastern rather than in Mexico has been weather.

“We didn’t chance to start playing until March,” Cherizola said. “I used to play golf year-round in Mexico, but here you can only play in the spring and the fall. I think that is the reason I am rusty right now, but we are getting back into it and we have a tournament this week.”

The Panthers play this Sunday and Monday at the Missouri State Invitational at the Branson Creek Golf Club in Springfield, Mo.

Moncel said Cherizola has been a hard worker and has had his ups and downs so far this season.

“He has a lot of upside to him, and I think as he continues to grow he is going to be a great player,” Moncel said.

Cherizola improved from the first tournament in the spring season to the second.

In the first event, the North Texas State Classic held in Puerta Vallarta, Mexico, Cherizola finished 30-over-par in three rounds of play. He finished tied for 67th after rounds of 85, 76 and 85.

Cherizola bounced back in the next event and finished tied for 18th in the Butler North-South Invitational on March 10-11 at the Jacksonville Beach Golf Club in Jacksonville, Fla.

Cherizola’s two-round score of 150 was one stroke behind Eastern senior Matt Imburgia, who finished tied for 15th. His six-over-par finish was his best of the season.

Cherizola said despite the cold weather he is happy with his decision and is enjoying his time so far at Eastern.

Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or at [email protected].